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Dillard JP, Chan JM. Genetic Manipulation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Commensal Neisseria Species. Curr Protoc 2024; 4:e70000. [PMID: 39228292 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.70000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
The sexually transmitted pathogen, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, undergoes natural transformation at high frequency. This property has led to the rapid dissemination of antibiotic resistance markers and the panmictic structure of the gonococcal population. However, high-frequency transformation also makes N. gonorrhoeae one of the easiest bacterial species to manipulate genetically in the laboratory. Techniques have been developed that result in transformation frequencies >50%, allowing the identification of mutants by screening and without selection. Constructs have been created to take advantage of this high-frequency transformation, facilitating genetic mutation, complementation, and heterologous gene expression. Similar methods have been developed for N. meningitidis and nonpathogenic Neisseria including N. mucosa and N. musculi. Techniques are described for genetic manipulation of N. gonorrhoeae and commensal Neisseria species, as well as for growth of these fastidious organisms. © 2024 The Author(s). Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Spot transformation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae on agar plates Basic Protocol 2: Spot transformation of commensal Neisseria on agar plates Basic Protocol 3: Transformation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in liquid culture Basic Protocol 4: Electroporation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Basic Protocol 5: Creation of unmarked mutations using a positive and negative selection cassette Basic Protocol 6: In vitro mutagenesis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae chromosomal DNA using EZ-Tn5 Basic Protocol 7: Chemical mutagenesis Basic Protocol 8: Complementation on the Neisseria gonorrhoeae chromosome Alternate Protocol 1: Complementation with replicating plasmids Alternate Protocol 2: Complementation on the Neisseria musculi or Neisseria mucosa chromosome Basic Protocol 9: Preparation of chromosomal DNA from Neisseria gonorrhoeae grown on solid medium Alternate Protocol 3: Preparation of chromosomal DNA from Neisseria gonorrhoeae grown in broth Support Protocol: Preparing PCR templates from Neisseria gonorrhoeae colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph P Dillard
- Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Jia Mun Chan
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London
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Boutroux M, Favre-Rochex S, Gorgette O, Touak G, Mühle E, Bouchier C, Chesneau O, Veyrier FJ, Clermont D, Rahi P. Neisseria leonii sp. nov., isolated from the nose, lung, and liver of rabbits. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2024; 74:006460. [PMID: 39023135 PMCID: PMC11316581 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.006460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
A taxogenomic study of three strains (3986T, 51.81, and JF 2415) isolated from rabbits between 1972 and 2000 led to the description of a new Neisseria species. The highest sequence similarity of the 16S rRNA gene was found to Neisseria animalis NCTC 10212T (96.7 %). The 16S rRNA gene similarity above 99 % and average nucleotide identity (ANI) values above 96 % among the strains, indicated that they belong to the same species. At the same time, the strains shared ANI values below 81 % and dDDH values below 24 % with all described Neisseria species. In the bac120 gene phylogenetic tree, the three strains clustered near Neisseria elongata and Neisseria bacilliformis in the Neisseria clade. However, the Neisseria clade is not monophyletic, and includes the type strains of Morococcus cerebrosus, Bergeriella denitrificans, Kingella potus, Uruburuella suis, and Uruburuella testudinis. Neisseria shayeganii clustered outside the clade with members of the genus Eikenella. Amino acid identity (AAI) values were calculated, and a threshold of 71 % was used to circumscribe the genus Neisseria. According to this proposed AAI threshold, strains 3986T, 51.81, and JF 2415 were placed within the genus Neisseria. The cells of the three strains were Gram-stain-negative diplococcobacilli and non-motile. Optimal growth on trypticase soy agar occurred at 37 °C and pH 8.5 in aerobic conditions. Notably, all strains exhibited indole production in the API-NH test, which is atypical for Neisseria and the family Neisseriaceae. The strains exhibited a common set of 68 peaks in their MALDI-TOF MS profiles, facilitating the swift and accurate identification of this species. Based on genotypic and phenotypic data, it is proposed that strains 3986T, 51.81, and JF 2415 represent a novel species within the genus Neisseria, for which the name Neisseria leonii sp. nov. is proposed (type strain 3986T=R726T=CIP 109994T=LMG 32907T).
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Boutroux
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Center of Biological Resources of Institut Pasteur (CRBIP), 75015 Paris, France
| | - Sandrine Favre-Rochex
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Collection of Institut Pasteur (CIP), 75015 Paris, France
| | - Olivier Gorgette
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Ultrastructural BioImaging Unit, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Gérald Touak
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Collection of Institut Pasteur (CIP), 75015 Paris, France
| | - Estelle Mühle
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Collection of Institut Pasteur (CIP), 75015 Paris, France
| | - Christiane Bouchier
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Collection of Institut Pasteur (CIP), 75015 Paris, France
| | - Olivier Chesneau
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Collection of Institut Pasteur (CIP), 75015 Paris, France
| | - Frédéric J. Veyrier
- INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Bacterial Symbionts Evolution, Laval, Quebec H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Dominique Clermont
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Collection of Institut Pasteur (CIP), 75015 Paris, France
| | - Praveen Rahi
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Collection of Institut Pasteur (CIP), 75015 Paris, France
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Herfurth M, Pérez-Burgos M, Søgaard-Andersen L. The mechanism for polar localization of the type IVa pilus machine in Myxococcus xanthus. mBio 2023; 14:e0159323. [PMID: 37754549 PMCID: PMC10653833 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01593-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Type IVa pili (T4aP) are widespread bacterial cell surface structures with important functions in motility, surface adhesion, biofilm formation, and virulence. Different bacteria have adapted different piliation patterns. To address how these patterns are established, we focused on the bipolar localization of the T4aP machine in the model organism Myxococcus xanthus by studying the localization of the PilQ secretin, the first component of this machine that assembles at the poles. Based on experiments using a combination of fluorescence microscopy, biochemistry, and computational structural analysis, we propose that PilQ, and specifically its AMIN domains, binds septal and polar peptidoglycan, thereby enabling polar Tgl localization, which then stimulates PilQ multimerization in the outer membrane. We also propose that the presence and absence of AMIN domains in T4aP secretins contribute to the different piliation patterns across bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Herfurth
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - María Pérez-Burgos
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Lotte Søgaard-Andersen
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
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Nyongesa S, Weber PM, Bernet È, Pulido F, Nieves C, Nieckarz M, Delaby M, Viehboeck T, Krause N, Rivera-Millot A, Nakamura A, Vischer NOE, vanNieuwenhze M, Brun YV, Cava F, Bulgheresi S, Veyrier FJ. Evolution of longitudinal division in multicellular bacteria of the Neisseriaceae family. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4853. [PMID: 35995772 PMCID: PMC9395523 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32260-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Rod-shaped bacteria typically elongate and divide by transverse fission. However, several bacterial species can form rod-shaped cells that divide longitudinally. Here, we study the evolution of cell shape and division mode within the family Neisseriaceae, which includes Gram-negative coccoid and rod-shaped species. In particular, bacteria of the genera Alysiella, Simonsiella and Conchiformibius, which can be found in the oral cavity of mammals, are multicellular and divide longitudinally. We use comparative genomics and ultrastructural microscopy to infer that longitudinal division within Neisseriaceae evolved from a rod-shaped ancestor. In multicellular longitudinally-dividing species, neighbouring cells within multicellular filaments are attached by their lateral peptidoglycan. In these bacteria, peptidoglycan insertion does not appear concentric, i.e. from the cell periphery to its centre, but as a medial sheet guillotining each cell. Finally, we identify genes and alleles associated with multicellularity and longitudinal division, including the acquisition of amidase-encoding gene amiC2, and amino acid changes in proteins including MreB and FtsA. Introduction of amiC2 and allelic substitution of mreB in a rod-shaped species that divides by transverse fission results in shorter cells with longer septa. Our work sheds light on the evolution of multicellularity and longitudinal division in bacteria, and suggests that members of the Neisseriaceae family may be good models to study these processes due to their morphological plasticity and genetic tractability. Rod-shaped bacteria typically elongate and divide by transverse fission, but a few species are known to divide longitudinally. Here, the authors use genomic, phylogenetic and microscopy techniques to shed light on the evolution of cell shape, multicellularity and division mode within the family Neisseriaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sammy Nyongesa
- INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Bacterial Symbionts Evolution, Laval, QC, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Philipp M Weber
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Environmental Cell Biology Group, University of Vienna, Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria.,University of Vienna, Vienna Doctoral School of Ecology and Evolution, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ève Bernet
- INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Bacterial Symbionts Evolution, Laval, QC, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Francisco Pulido
- INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Bacterial Symbionts Evolution, Laval, QC, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Cecilia Nieves
- INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Bacterial Symbionts Evolution, Laval, QC, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Marta Nieckarz
- Department of Molecular Biology and Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, SE-90187, Sweden
| | - Marie Delaby
- Département de microbiologie, infectiologie et immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Tobias Viehboeck
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Environmental Cell Biology Group, University of Vienna, Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria.,University of Vienna, Vienna Doctoral School of Ecology and Evolution, Vienna, Austria.,Division of Microbial Ecology, Center for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, , University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nicole Krause
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Environmental Cell Biology Group, University of Vienna, Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria.,University of Vienna, Vienna Doctoral School of Ecology and Evolution, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alex Rivera-Millot
- INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Bacterial Symbionts Evolution, Laval, QC, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Arnaldo Nakamura
- INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Bacterial Symbionts Evolution, Laval, QC, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Norbert O E Vischer
- Bacterial Cell Biology & Physiology, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Yves V Brun
- Département de microbiologie, infectiologie et immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Felipe Cava
- Department of Molecular Biology and Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, SE-90187, Sweden
| | - Silvia Bulgheresi
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Environmental Cell Biology Group, University of Vienna, Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Frédéric J Veyrier
- INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Bacterial Symbionts Evolution, Laval, QC, H7V 1B7, Canada.
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Nyongesa S, Chenal M, Bernet È, Coudray F, Veyrier FJ. Sequential markerless genetic manipulations of species from the Neisseria genus. Can J Microbiol 2022; 68:551-560. [PMID: 35512370 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2022-0024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The development of simple and highly efficient strategies for genetic modifications are essential for post-genetic studies aimed at characterizing gene functions for various applications. We sought to develop a reliable system for Neisseria species that allows for both unmarked and accumulation of multiple genetic modifications in a single strain. In this work we developed and validated three-gene cassettes named RPLK and RPCC, comprising of an antibiotic resistance marker for positive selection, the phenotypic selection marker lacZ or mCherry, and the counter selection gene rpsL. These cassettes can be transformed with high efficiency across the Neisseria genus while significantly reducing the number of false positives compared to similar approaches. We exemplify the versatility and application of these systems by obtaining unmarked luminescent strains (knock-in) or mutants (knock-out) in different pathogenic and commensal species across the Neisseria genus in addition to the cumulative deletion of six loci in a single strain of Neisseria elongata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sammy Nyongesa
- INRS, 14851, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Quebec, Quebec, Canada;
| | - Martin Chenal
- INRS, 14851, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Quebec, Quebec, Canada;
| | - Ève Bernet
- INRS, 14851, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Quebec, Quebec, Canada;
| | - Florian Coudray
- INRS, 14851, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Quebec, Quebec, Canada;
| | - Frédéric J Veyrier
- INRS, 14851, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Quebec, Quebec, Canada;
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Guerra Maldonado JF, Vincent AT, Chenal M, Veyrier FJ. CAPRIB: a user-friendly tool to study amino acid changes and selection for the exploration of intra-genus evolution. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:832. [PMID: 33243176 PMCID: PMC7690079 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07232-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The evolution of bacteria is shaped by different mechanisms such as mutation, gene deletion, duplication, or insertion of foreign DNA among others. These genetic changes can accumulate in the descendants as a result of natural selection. Using phylogeny and genome comparisons, evolutionary paths can be somehow retraced, with recent events being much easier to detect than older ones. For this reason, multiple tools are available to study the evolutionary events within genomes of single species, such as gene composition alterations, or subtler mutations such as SNPs. However, these tools are generally designed to compare similar genomes and require advanced skills in bioinformatics. We present CAPRIB, a unique tool developed in Java that allows to determine the amino acid changes, at the genus level, that correlate with phenotypic differences between two groups of organisms. RESULTS CAPRIB has a user-friendly graphical interface and uses databases in SQL, making it easy to compare several genomes without the need for programming or thorough knowledge in bioinformatics. This intuitive software narrows down a list of amino acid changes that are concomitant with a given phenotypic divergence at the genus scale. Each permutation found by our software is associated with two already described statistical values that indicate its potential impact on the protein's function, helping the user decide which promising candidates to further investigate. We show that CAPRIB is able to detect already known mutations and uncovers many more, and that this tool can be used to question molecular phylogeny. Finally, we exemplify the utility of CAPRIB by pinpointing amino acid changes that coincided with the emergence of slow-growing mycobacteria from their fast-growing counterparts. The software is freely available at https://github.com/BactSymEvol/Caprib . CONCLUSIONS CAPRIB is a new bioinformatics software aiming to make genus-scale comparisons accessible to all. With its intuitive graphical interface, this tool identifies key amino acid changes concomitant with a phenotypic divergence. By comparing fast and slow-growing mycobacteria, we shed light on evolutionary hotspots, such as the cytokinin pathway, that are interesting candidates for further experimentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan F Guerra Maldonado
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Bacterial Symbionts Evolution, Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Antony T Vincent
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Bacterial Symbionts Evolution, Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Martin Chenal
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Bacterial Symbionts Evolution, Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Frederic J Veyrier
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Bacterial Symbionts Evolution, Laval, Québec, Canada.
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Mutalik SP, Pandey A, Mutalik S. Nanoarchitectronics: A versatile tool for deciphering nanoparticle interaction with cellular proteins, nucleic acids and phospholipids at biological interfaces. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 151:136-158. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.02.150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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The evolution of spherical cell shape; progress and perspective. Biochem Soc Trans 2020; 47:1621-1634. [PMID: 31829405 PMCID: PMC6925525 DOI: 10.1042/bst20180634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial cell shape is a key trait governing the extracellular and intracellular factors of bacterial life. Rod-like cell shape appears to be original which implies that the cell wall, division, and rod-like shape came together in ancient bacteria and that the myriad of shapes observed in extant bacteria have evolved from this ancestral shape. In order to understand its evolution, we must first understand how this trait is actively maintained through the construction and maintenance of the peptidoglycan cell wall. The proteins that are primarily responsible for cell shape are therefore the elements of the bacterial cytoskeleton, principally FtsZ, MreB, and the penicillin-binding proteins. MreB is particularly relevant in the transition between rod-like and spherical cell shape as it is often (but not always) lost early in the process. Here we will highlight what is known of this particular transition in cell shape and how it affects fitness before giving a brief perspective on what will be required in order to progress the field of cell shape evolution from a purely mechanistic discipline to one that has the perspective to both propose and to test reasonable hypotheses regarding the ecological drivers of cell shape change.
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Genetic determinants of genus-level glycan diversity in a bacterial protein glycosylation system. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008532. [PMID: 31869330 PMCID: PMC6959607 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The human pathogens N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis display robust intra- and interstrain glycan diversity associated with their O-linked protein glycosylation (pgl) systems. In an effort to better understand the evolution and function of protein glycosylation operating there, we aimed to determine if other human-restricted, Neisseria species similarly glycosylate proteins and if so, to assess the levels of glycoform diversity. Comparative genomics revealed the conservation of a subset of genes minimally required for O-linked protein glycosylation glycan and established those pgl genes as core genome constituents of the genus. In conjunction with mass spectrometric–based glycan phenotyping, we found that extant glycoform repertoires in N. gonorrhoeae, N. meningitidis and the closely related species N. polysaccharea and N. lactamica reflect the functional replacement of a progenitor glycan biosynthetic pathway. This replacement involved loss of pgl gene components of the primordial pathway coincident with the acquisition of two exogenous glycosyltransferase genes. Critical to this discovery was the identification of a ubiquitous but previously unrecognized glycosyltransferase gene (pglP) that has uniquely undergone parallel but independent pseudogenization in N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis. We suggest that the pseudogenization events are driven by processes of compositional epistasis leading to gene decay. Additionally, we documented instances where inter-species recombination influences pgl gene status and creates discordant genetic interactions due ostensibly to the multi-locus nature of pgl gene networks. In summary, these findings provide a novel perspective on the evolution of protein glycosylation systems and identify phylogenetically informative, genetic differences associated with Neisseria species. Bacteria express a remarkable diversity of sugars and oligosaccharides in conjunction with protein glycosylation systems. Currently however, little is known about the evolutionary processes and selective forces shaping glycan biosynthetic pathways. The closely related bacterial pathogens Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis remain serious sources of human disease and these species express antigenically variable oligosaccharides as components of their broad-spectrum, O‐linked protein glycosylation (pgl) systems. With the exception of isolates of Neisseria elongata subspecies glycolytica, the status of such post-translational modifications in related commensal species colonizing humans remains largely undefined. Here, we exploit new data from further studies of protein glycosylation in Neisseria elongata subspecies glycolytica to address these concerns. Employing comparative genomics and glycan phenotyping, we show that related pgl systems are indeed expressed by all human-restricted Neisseria species but identify unique gene gain and loss events as well as loss-of-function polymorphisms that accommodate a dramatic shift in glycoform structure occurring across the genus. These findings constitute novel perspectives on both the evolution of protein glycosylation systems in general and the macroevolutionary processes occurring in related bacterial species residing within a single host.
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Hassan AA, Vitorino MV, Robalo T, Rodrigues MS, Sá-Correia I. Variation of Burkholderia cenocepacia cell wall morphology and mechanical properties during cystic fibrosis lung infection, assessed by atomic force microscopy. Sci Rep 2019; 9:16118. [PMID: 31695169 PMCID: PMC6834607 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-52604-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The influence that Burkholderia cenocepacia adaptive evolution during long-term infection in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients has on cell wall morphology and mechanical properties is poorly understood despite their crucial role in cell physiology, persistent infection and pathogenesis. Cell wall morphology and physical properties of three B. cenocepacia isolates collected from a CF patient over a period of 3.5 years were compared using atomic force microscopy (AFM). These serial clonal variants include the first isolate retrieved from the patient and two late isolates obtained after three years of infection and before the patient's death with cepacia syndrome. A consistent and progressive decrease of cell height and a cell shape evolution during infection, from the typical rods to morphology closer to cocci, were observed. The images of cells grown in biofilms showed an identical cell size reduction pattern. Additionally, the apparent elasticity modulus significantly decreases from the early isolate to the last clonal variant retrieved from the patient but the intermediary highly antibiotic resistant clonal isolate showed the highest elasticity values. Concerning the adhesion of bacteria surface to the AFM tip, the first isolate was found to adhere better than the late isolates whose lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure loss the O-antigen (OAg) during CF infection. The OAg is known to influence Gram-negative bacteria adhesion and be an important factor in B. cenocepacia adaptation to chronic infection. Results reinforce the concept of the occurrence of phenotypic heterogeneity and adaptive evolution, also at the level of cell size, form, envelope topography and physical properties during long-term infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Amir Hassan
- iBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, 1049-001, Portugal
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, 1049-001, Portugal
| | - Miguel V Vitorino
- BioISI - Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal
- Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Tiago Robalo
- BioISI - Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mário S Rodrigues
- BioISI - Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal.
- Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Isabel Sá-Correia
- iBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, 1049-001, Portugal.
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, 1049-001, Portugal.
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Gao B, Wang J, Huang J, Huang X, Sha W, Qin L. The dynamic region of the peptidoglycan synthase gene, Rv0050, induces the growth rate and morphologic heterogeneity in Mycobacteria. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2019; 72:86-92. [DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2018.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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12
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Schaub RE, Dillard JP. The Pathogenic Neisseria Use a Streamlined Set of Peptidoglycan Degradation Proteins for Peptidoglycan Remodeling, Recycling, and Toxic Fragment Release. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:73. [PMID: 30766523 PMCID: PMC6365954 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis release peptidoglycan (PG) fragments from the cell as the bacteria grow. For N. gonorrhoeae these PG fragments are known to cause damage to human Fallopian tube tissue in organ culture that mimics the damage seen in patients with pelvic inflammatory disease. N. meningitidis also releases pro-inflammatory PG fragments, but in smaller amounts than those from N. gonorrhoeae. It is not yet known if PG fragment release contributes to the highly inflammatory conditions of meningitis and meningococcemia caused by N. meningitidis. Examination of the mechanisms of PG degradation and recycling identified proteins required for these processes. In comparison to the model organism E. coli, the pathogenic Neisseria have far fewer PG degradation proteins, and some of these proteins show differences in subcellular localization compared to their E. coli homologs. In particular, some N. gonorrhoeae PG degradation proteins were demonstrated to be in the outer membrane while their homologs in E. coli were found free in the periplasm or in the cytoplasm. The localization of two of these proteins was demonstrated to affect PG fragment release. Another major factor for PG fragment release is the allele of ampG. Gonococcal AmpG was found to be slightly defective compared to related PG fragment permeases, thus leading to increased release of PG. A number of additional PG-related factors affect other virulence functions in Neisseria. Endopeptidases and carboxypeptidases were found to be required for type IV pilus production and resistance to hydrogen peroxide. Also, deacetylation of PG was required for virulence of N. meningitidis as well as normal cell size. Overall, we describe the processes involved in PG degradation and recycling and how certain characteristics of these proteins influence the interactions of these pathogens with their host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan E Schaub
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Joseph P Dillard
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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Genus-Wide Comparative Genomics Analysis of Neisseria to Identify New Genes Associated with Pathogenicity and Niche Adaptation of Neisseria Pathogens. Int J Genomics 2019; 2019:6015730. [PMID: 30775379 PMCID: PMC6350579 DOI: 10.1155/2019/6015730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Revised: 10/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis, the only two human pathogens of Neisseria, are closely related species. But the niches they survived in and their pathogenic characteristics are distinctly different. However, the genetic basis of these differences has not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, comparative genomics analysis was performed based on 15 N. gonorrhoeae, 75 N. meningitidis, and 7 nonpathogenic Neisseria genomes. Core-pangenome analysis found 1111 conserved gene families among them, and each of these species groups had opening pangenome. We found that 452, 78, and 319 gene families were unique in N. gonorrhoeae, N. meningitidis, and both of them, respectively. Those unique gene families were regarded as candidates that related to their pathogenicity and niche adaptation. The relationships among them have been partly verified by functional annotation analysis. But at least one-third genes for each gene set have not found the certain functional information. Simple sequence repeat (SSR), the basis of gene phase variation, was found abundant in the membrane or related genes of each unique gene set, which may facilitate their adaptation to variable host environments. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis found at least five distinct PPI clusters in N. gonorrhoeae and four in N. meningitides, and 167 and 52 proteins with unknown function were contained within them, respectively.
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14
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Krzyżek P, Biernat MM, Gościniak G. Intensive formation of coccoid forms as a feature strongly associated with highly pathogenic Helicobacter pylori strains. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 2018; 64:273-281. [PMID: 30449016 PMCID: PMC6529389 DOI: 10.1007/s12223-018-0665-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The variability of Helicobacter pylori morphology and the heterogeneity of virulence factors expressed by these bacteria play a key role as a driving force for adaptation to the hostile stomach environment. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between the presence of certain genes encoding virulence factors and H. pylori morphology. One reference and 13 clinical H. pylori strains with a known virulence profile (vacA, cagA, babA2, dupA, and iceA) were used in this study. Bacteria were cultured for 1 h and 24 h in stressogenic culture conditions, i.e., serum-free BHI broths at suboptimal conditions (room temperature and atmosphere, without shaking). H. pylori cell morphology was observed by light and scanning electron microscopy. The vacA polymorphism and the cagA and babA2 presence were positively correlated with the reduction in cell size. Exposure to short-time stressogenic conditions caused more intense transformation to coccoid forms in highly pathogenic H. pylori type I strains (35.83% and 47.5% for type I s1m2 and I s1m1, respectively) than in intermediate-pathogenic type III (8.17%) and low pathogenic type II (9.92%) strains. The inverse relationship was observed for the number of rods, which were more common in type III (46.83%) and II (48.42%) strains than in type I s1m2 (19.25%) or I s1m1 (6.58%) strains. Our results suggest that there is a close relationship between the presence of virulence genes of H. pylori strains and their adaptive morphological features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Krzyżek
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Monika M Biernat
- Department of Haematology, Blood Neoplasms, and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Faculty of Postgraduate Medical Training, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Grażyna Gościniak
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
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15
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Obergfell KP, Schaub RE, Priniski LL, Dillard JP, Seifert HS. The low-molecular-mass, penicillin-binding proteins DacB and DacC combine to modify peptidoglycan cross-linking and allow stable Type IV pilus expression in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Mol Microbiol 2018; 109:135-149. [PMID: 29573486 PMCID: PMC6153085 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the causative agent of the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea and is adapted to survive in humans, its only host. The N. gonorrhoeae cell wall is critical for maintaining envelope integrity, resisting immune cell killing and production of cytotoxic peptidoglycan (PG) fragments. Deletion of the N. gonorrhoeae strain FA1090 genes encoding two predicted low-molecular-mass, penicillin-binding proteins (LMM PBPs), DacB and DacC, substantially altered the PG cross-linking. Loss of the DacB peptidase resulted in global alterations to the PG composition, while loss of the DacC protein affected a much narrower subset of PG peptide components. A double ΔdacB/ΔdacC mutant resembled the ΔdacB single mutant, but had an even greater level of cross-linked PG. While single ΔdacB or ΔdacC mutants did not show any major phenotypes, the ΔdacB/ΔdacC mutant displayed an altered cellular morphology, decreased resistance to antibiotics and increased sensitivity to detergent-mediated death. Loss of the two proteins also drastically reduced the number of Type IV pili (Tfp), a critical virulence factor. The decreased piliation reduced transformation efficiency and correlated with increased growth rate. While these two LMM PBPs differentially alter the PG composition, their overlapping effects are essential to proper envelope function and expression of factors critical for pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle P. Obergfell
- Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Ryan E. Schaub
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA
| | - Lauren L. Priniski
- Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Joseph P. Dillard
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA
| | - H. Steven Seifert
- Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
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16
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Damé-Teixeira N, Parolo CCF, Maltz M, Rup AG, Devine DA, Do T. Gene expression of bacterial collagenolytic proteases in root caries. J Oral Microbiol 2018; 10:1424475. [PMID: 34394852 PMCID: PMC5774410 DOI: 10.1080/20002297.2018.1424475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: It is unknown whether bacteria play a role in the collagen matrix degradation that occurs during caries progression. Our aim was to characterize the expression level of genes involved in bacterial collagenolytic proteases in root biofilms with and without caries. Method: we collected samples from active cavitated root caries lesions (RC, n = 30) and from sound root surfaces (SRS, n = 10). Total microbial RNA was isolated and cDNA sequenced on the Illumina Hi-Seq2500. Reads were mapped to 162 oral bacterial reference genomes. Genes encoding putative bacterial collagenolytic proteases were identified. Normalization and differential expression analysis was performed on all metatranscriptomes (FDR<10-3). Result: Genes encoding collagenases were identified in 113 bacterial species the majority were peptidase U32. In RC, Streptococcus mutans and Veillonella parvula expressed the most collagenases. Organisms that overexpressed collagenolytic protease genes in RC (Log2FoldChange>8) but none in SRS were Pseudoramibacter alactolyticus [HMPREF0721_RS02020; HMPREF0721_RS04640], Scardovia inopinata [SCIP_RS02440] and Olsenella uli DSM7084 [OLSU_RS02990]. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the U32 proteases may be related to carious dentine. The contribution of a small number of species to dentine degradation should be further investigated. These proteases may have potential in future biotechnological and medical applications, serving as targets for the development of therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nailê Damé-Teixeira
- Faculty of Health Science, Department of Dentistry, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | | | - Marisa Maltz
- Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Social and Preventive Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Ariel Goulart Rup
- Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Social and Preventive Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Deirdre Ann Devine
- School of Dentistry, Division of Oral Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Thuy Do
- School of Dentistry, Division of Oral Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
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17
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Caccamo PD, Brun YV. The Molecular Basis of Noncanonical Bacterial Morphology. Trends Microbiol 2017; 26:191-208. [PMID: 29056293 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2017.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The true picture of bacterial morphological diversity is likely skewed due to an experimental focus on pathogens and industrially relevant organisms. Indeed, most of the work elucidating the genes and molecular processes involved in maintaining bacterial morphology has been limited to rod- or coccal-shaped model systems. The mechanisms of shape evolution, the molecular processes underlying diverse shapes and growth modes, and how individual cells can dynamically modulate their shape are just beginning to be revealed. Here we discuss recent work aimed at advancing our knowledge of shape diversity and uncovering the molecular basis for shape generation in noncanonical and morphologically complex bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul D Caccamo
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E. 3rd St, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Yves V Brun
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E. 3rd St, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
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18
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Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis is a harmless commensal bacterium finely adapted to humans. Unfortunately, under “privileged” conditions, it adopts a “devious” lifestyle leading to uncontrolled behavior characterized by the unleashing of molecular weapons causing potentially lethal disease such as sepsis and acute meningitis. Indeed, despite the lack of a classic repertoire of virulence genes in
N. meningitidis separating commensal from invasive strains, molecular epidemiology and functional genomics studies suggest that carriage and invasive strains belong to genetically distinct populations characterized by an exclusive pathogenic potential. In the last few years, “omics” technologies have helped scientists to unwrap the framework drawn by
N. meningitidis during different stages of colonization and disease. However, this scenario is still incomplete and would benefit from the implementation of physiological tissue models for the reproduction of mucosal and systemic interactions
in vitro. These emerging technologies supported by recent advances in the world of stem cell biology hold the promise for a further understanding of
N. meningitidis pathogenesis.
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19
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van Teeseling MCF, de Pedro MA, Cava F. Determinants of Bacterial Morphology: From Fundamentals to Possibilities for Antimicrobial Targeting. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1264. [PMID: 28740487 PMCID: PMC5502672 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial morphology is extremely diverse. Specific shapes are the consequence of adaptive pressures optimizing bacterial fitness. Shape affects critical biological functions, including nutrient acquisition, motility, dispersion, stress resistance and interactions with other organisms. Although the characteristic shape of a bacterial species remains unchanged for vast numbers of generations, periodical variations occur throughout the cell (division) and life cycles, and these variations can be influenced by environmental conditions. Bacterial morphology is ultimately dictated by the net-like peptidoglycan (PG) sacculus. The species-specific shape of the PG sacculus at any time in the cell cycle is the product of multiple determinants. Some morphological determinants act as a cytoskeleton to guide biosynthetic complexes spatiotemporally, whereas others modify the PG sacculus after biosynthesis. Accumulating evidence supports critical roles of morphogenetic processes in bacteria-host interactions, including pathogenesis. Here, we review the molecular determinants underlying morphology, discuss the evidence linking bacterial morphology to niche adaptation and pathogenesis, and examine the potential of morphological determinants as antimicrobial targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muriel C F van Teeseling
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå UniversityUmeå, Sweden
| | - Miguel A de Pedro
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de MadridMadrid, Spain
| | - Felipe Cava
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå UniversityUmeå, Sweden
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20
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Fischer F, Robbe-Saule M, Turlin E, Mancuso F, Michel V, Richaud P, Veyrier FJ, De Reuse H, Vinella D. Characterization in Helicobacter pylori of a Nickel Transporter Essential for Colonization That Was Acquired during Evolution by Gastric Helicobacter Species. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1006018. [PMID: 27923069 PMCID: PMC5140060 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Metal acquisition is crucial for all cells and for the virulence of many bacterial pathogens. In particular, nickel is a virulence determinant for the human gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori as it is the cofactor of two enzymes essential for in vivo colonization, urease and a [NiFe] hydrogenase. To import nickel despite its scarcity in the human body, H. pylori requires efficient uptake mechanisms that are only partially defined. Indeed, alternative ways of nickel entry were predicted to exist in addition to the well-described NixA permease. Using a genetic screen, we identified an ABC transporter, that we designated NiuBDE, as a novel H. pylori nickel transport system. Unmarked mutants carrying deletions of nixA, niuD and/or niuB, were constructed and used to measure (i) tolerance to toxic nickel exposure, (ii) intracellular nickel content by ICP-OES, (iii) transport of radioactive nickel and (iv) expression of a reporter gene controlled by nickel concentration. We demonstrated that NiuBDE and NixA function separately and are the sole nickel transporters in H. pylori. NiuBDE, but not NixA, also transports cobalt and bismuth, a metal currently used in H. pylori eradication therapy. Both NiuBDE and NixA participate in nickel-dependent urease activation at pH 5 and survival under acidic conditions mimicking those encountered in the stomach. However, only NiuBDE is able to carry out this activity at neutral pH and is essential for colonization of the mouse stomach. Phylogenomic analyses indicated that both nixA and niuBDE genes have been acquired via horizontal gene transfer by the last common ancestor of the gastric Helicobacter species. Our work highlights the importance of this evolutionary event for the emergence of Helicobacter gastric species that are adapted to the hostile environment of the stomach where the capacity of Helicobacter to import nickel and thereby activate urease needs to be optimized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Fischer
- Institut Pasteur, Département de Microbiologie, Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, ERL CNRS 3526, Paris, FRANCE
| | - Marie Robbe-Saule
- Institut Pasteur, Département de Microbiologie, Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, ERL CNRS 3526, Paris, FRANCE
| | - Evelyne Turlin
- Institut Pasteur, Département de Microbiologie, Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, ERL CNRS 3526, Paris, FRANCE
| | - Francesco Mancuso
- Institut Pasteur, Département de Microbiologie, Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, ERL CNRS 3526, Paris, FRANCE
| | - Valérie Michel
- Institut Pasteur, Département de Microbiologie, Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, ERL CNRS 3526, Paris, FRANCE
| | - Pierre Richaud
- CEA, DRF, BIAM SBVME and CNRS, UMR 7265, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, FRANCE
| | - Frédéric J. Veyrier
- INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, Bacterial Symbionts Evolution, Laval, Quebec, CANADA
| | - Hilde De Reuse
- Institut Pasteur, Département de Microbiologie, Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, ERL CNRS 3526, Paris, FRANCE
- * E-mail:
| | - Daniel Vinella
- Institut Pasteur, Département de Microbiologie, Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, ERL CNRS 3526, Paris, FRANCE
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21
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Independent evolution of shape and motility allows evolutionary flexibility in Firmicutes bacteria. Nat Ecol Evol 2016; 1:9. [PMID: 28812570 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-016-0009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Functional morphological adaptation is an implicit assumption across many ecological studies. However, despite a few pioneering attempts to link bacterial form and function, functional morphology is largely unstudied in prokaryotes. One intriguing candidate for analysis is bacterial shape, as multiple lines of theory indicate that cell shape and motility should be strongly correlated. Here we present a large-scale use of modern phylogenetic comparative methods to explore this relationship across 325 species of the phylum Firmicutes. In contrast to clear predictions from theory, we show that cell shape and motility are not coupled, and that transitions to and from flagellar motility are common and strongly associated with lifestyle (free-living or host-associated). We find no association between shape and lifestyle, and contrary to recent evidence, no indication that shape is associated with pathogenicity. Our results suggest that the independent evolution of shape and motility in this group might allow a greater evolutionary flexibility.
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22
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Kysela DT, Randich AM, Caccamo PD, Brun YV. Diversity Takes Shape: Understanding the Mechanistic and Adaptive Basis of Bacterial Morphology. PLoS Biol 2016; 14:e1002565. [PMID: 27695035 PMCID: PMC5047622 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The modern age of metagenomics has delivered unprecedented volumes of data describing the genetic and metabolic diversity of bacterial communities, but it has failed to provide information about coincident cellular morphologies. Much like metabolic and biosynthetic capabilities, morphology comprises a critical component of bacterial fitness, molded by natural selection into the many elaborate shapes observed across the bacterial domain. In this essay, we discuss the diversity of bacterial morphology and its implications for understanding both the mechanistic and the adaptive basis of morphogenesis. We consider how best to leverage genomic data and recent experimental developments in order to advance our understanding of bacterial shape and its functional importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- David T. Kysela
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Amelia M. Randich
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Paul D. Caccamo
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Yves V. Brun
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
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23
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Abstract
A mechanistic understanding of the determination and maintenance of the simplest bacterial cell shape, a sphere, remains elusive compared with that of more complex shapes. Cocci seem to lack a dedicated elongation machinery, and a spherical shape has been considered an evolutionary dead-end morphology, as a transition from a spherical to a rod-like shape has never been observed in bacteria. Here we show that a Staphylococcus aureus mutant (M5) expressing the ftsZG193D allele exhibits elongated cells. Molecular dynamics simulations and in vitro studies indicate that FtsZG193D filaments are more twisted and shorter than wild-type filaments. In vivo, M5 cell wall deposition is initiated asymmetrically, only on one side of the cell, and progresses into a helical pattern rather than into a constricting ring as in wild-type cells. This helical pattern of wall insertion leads to elongation, as in rod-shaped cells. Thus, structural flexibility of FtsZ filaments can result in an FtsZ-dependent mechanism for generating elongated cells from cocci. The mechanisms by which bacteria generate and maintain even the simplest cell shape remain an elusive but fundamental question in microbiology. In the absence of examples of coccus-to-rod transitions, the spherical shape has been suggested to be an evolutionary dead end in morphogenesis. We describe the first observation of the generation of elongated cells from truly spherical cocci, occurring in a Staphylococcus aureus mutant containing a single point mutation in its genome, in the gene encoding the bacterial tubulin homologue FtsZ. We demonstrate that FtsZ-dependent cell elongation is possible, even in the absence of dedicated elongation machinery.
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24
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Weyand NJ, Ma M, Phifer-Rixey M, Taku NA, Rendón MA, Hockenberry AM, Kim WJ, Agellon AB, Biais N, Suzuki TA, Goodyer-Sait L, Harrison OB, Bratcher HB, Nachman MW, Maiden MCJ, So M. Isolation and characterization of Neisseria musculi sp. nov., from the wild house mouse. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2016; 66:3585-3593. [PMID: 27298306 PMCID: PMC5880574 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.001237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 06/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the genus Neisseria have been isolated from or detected in a wide range of animals, from non-human primates and felids to a rodent, the guinea pig. By means of selective culture, biochemical testing, Gram staining and PCR screening for the Neisseria-specific internal transcribed spacer region of the rRNA operon, we isolated four strains of the genus Neisseria from the oral cavity of the wild house mouse, Mus musculus subsp. domesticus. The isolates are highly related and form a separate clade in the genus, as judged by tree analyses using either multi-locus sequence typing of ribosomal genes or core genes. One isolate, provisionally named Neisseria musculi sp. nov. (type strain AP2031T=DSM 101846T=CCUG 68283T=LMG 29261T), was studied further. Strain AP2031T/N. musculi grew well in vitro. It was naturally competent, taking up DNA in a DNA uptake sequence and pilT-dependent manner, and was amenable to genetic manipulation. These and other genomic attributes of N. musculi sp. nov. make it an ideal candidate for use in developing a mouse model for studying Neisseria-host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan J. Weyand
- Department of Immunobiology and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - Mancheong Ma
- Department of Immunobiology and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - Megan Phifer-Rixey
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Nyiawung A. Taku
- Department of Immunobiology and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - María A. Rendón
- Department of Immunobiology and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - Alyson M. Hockenberry
- Department of Immunobiology and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - Won J. Kim
- Department of Immunobiology and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - Al B. Agellon
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Nicolas Biais
- Department of Biology, Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY 11210, USA
| | - Taichi A. Suzuki
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | | | | | | | - Michael W. Nachman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | | | - Magdalene So
- Department of Immunobiology and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
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25
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Lenz JD, Stohl EA, Robertson RM, Hackett KT, Fisher K, Xiong K, Lee M, Hesek D, Mobashery S, Seifert HS, Davies C, Dillard JP. Amidase Activity of AmiC Controls Cell Separation and Stem Peptide Release and Is Enhanced by NlpD in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:10916-33. [PMID: 26984407 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.715573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The human-restricted pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae encodes a single N-acetylmuramyl-l-alanine amidase involved in cell separation (AmiC), as compared with three largely redundant cell separation amidases found in Escherichia coli (AmiA, AmiB, and AmiC). Deletion of amiC from N. gonorrhoeae results in severely impaired cell separation and altered peptidoglycan (PG) fragment release, but little else is known about how AmiC functions in gonococci. Here, we demonstrated that gonococcal AmiC can act on macromolecular PG to liberate cross-linked and non-cross-linked peptides indicative of amidase activity, and we provided the first evidence that a cell separation amidase can utilize a small synthetic PG fragment as substrate (GlcNAc-MurNAc(pentapeptide)-GlcNAc-MurNAc(pentapeptide)). An investigation of two residues in the active site of AmiC revealed that Glu-229 is critical for both normal cell separation and the release of PG fragments by gonococci during growth. In contrast, Gln-316 has an autoinhibitory role, and its mutation to lysine resulted in an AmiC with increased enzymatic activity on macromolecular PG and on the synthetic PG derivative. Curiously, the same Q316K mutation that increased AmiC activity also resulted in cell separation and PG fragment release defects, indicating that activation state is not the only factor determining normal AmiC activity. In addition to displaying high basal activity on PG, gonococcal AmiC can utilize metal ions other than the zinc cofactor typically used by cell separation amidases, potentially protecting its ability to function in zinc-limiting environments. Thus gonococcal AmiC has distinct differences from related enzymes, and these studies revealed parameters for how AmiC functions in cell separation and PG fragment release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D Lenz
- From the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Elizabeth A Stohl
- the Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611
| | - Rosanna M Robertson
- the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, and
| | - Kathleen T Hackett
- From the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Kathryn Fisher
- From the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Kalia Xiong
- From the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Mijoon Lee
- the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana 46556
| | - Dusan Hesek
- the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana 46556
| | - Shahriar Mobashery
- the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana 46556
| | - H Steven Seifert
- the Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611
| | - Christopher Davies
- the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, and
| | - Joseph P Dillard
- From the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706,
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Staying in Shape: the Impact of Cell Shape on Bacterial Survival in Diverse Environments. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2016; 80:187-203. [PMID: 26864431 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00031-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria display an abundance of cellular forms and can change shape during their life cycle. Many plausible models regarding the functional significance of cell morphology have emerged. A greater understanding of the genetic programs underpinning morphological variation in diverse bacterial groups, combined with assays of bacteria under conditions that mimic their varied natural environments, from flowing freshwater streams to diverse human body sites, provides new opportunities to probe the functional significance of cell shape. Here we explore shape diversity among bacteria, at the levels of cell geometry, size, and surface appendages (both placement and number), as it relates to survival in diverse environments. Cell shape in most bacteria is determined by the cell wall. A major challenge in this field has been deconvoluting the effects of differences in the chemical properties of the cell wall and the resulting cell shape perturbations on observed fitness changes. Still, such studies have begun to reveal the selective pressures that drive the diverse forms (or cell wall compositions) observed in mammalian pathogens and bacteria more generally, including efficient adherence to biotic and abiotic surfaces, survival under low-nutrient or stressful conditions, evasion of mammalian complement deposition, efficient dispersal through mucous barriers and tissues, and efficient nutrient acquisition.
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